Despite a dire economic climate that forced budget cuts across the board,
Assemblymember Robinson fought for a state budget that delivers nearly
$1.4 billion in state aid to New York City.

Landmark housing investment

Assemblymember Robinson fought for a final state budget that provides
$304.4 million—a $200 million increase over the executive’s recommendation—for
affordable, supportive and workforce housing and to combat the subprime lending
crisis.

Maximizing housing availability

Ensuring that working families have decent places to live, affordable rents, and can
keep their homes are top priorities.

The budget includes $54 million for Mitchell-Lama Rehabilitation and Preservation,
and the All Affordable program, both necessary in delivering affordable housing in
New York City’s competitive market.

The budget also contains $17.8 million for the Public Housing Modernization program
for capital improvements and a $4 million expansion of the state’s Low Income Housing
Tax Credit program to encourage the development of affordable housing.

In addition, the budget provides $25 million for the Assembly-created Subprime
Foreclosure Prevention Services Program for counseling, mediation and legal
representation for subprime lending victims facing default or foreclosure.

Low Income Housing Trust Fund

$60 million

Affordable Housing Corporation

$45 million

Homes for Working Families

$17 million

Homeless Housing Assistance

$36.5 million

HOPE/Restore

$4.4 million

Urban Initiatives

$3.5 million

“I fought for a state budget that delivers $304.4 million to address basic housing needs.
The funding will improve access to vital affordable and workforce housing.”

—Assemblymember Robinson

Assemblymember Robinson fought for and passed bills to strengthen New York’s rent laws so
hardworking families can continue to call our neighborhood home.

Limiting an owner’s ability to recover a rent-regulated apartment for personal use (A.799)

Giving New York City – not Albany – control over our rent laws (A.4069)

Limiting landlords’ ability to raise rents after a vacancy (A.2894)

Extending the length of time over which major capital improvement expenses may be recovered
and requiring that rent surcharges to pay for them end when the cost of the improvement has
been recovered (A.6510)

Preventing landlords from exploiting loopholes to raise rents when leases are renewed (A.10055-A)

Record education funding

Honoring the state’s longtime commitment to New York City schools, this year’s budget came through
with an additional $644 million in school aid, bringing the state’s contribution to city schools to
$8.33 billion.

The budget provides $19.6 million in operating aid restorations to CUNY senior colleges and ensures
no tuition increases in 2008-09. In addition, $2 million is provided for the expansion of nursing programs
across CUNY campuses. The budget also fully restores a cut in community college aid, meaning
$7.5 million more for CUNY community colleges.

Other direct benefits to New York City include:

Continuing the Medicaid cap and Family Health Plus takeover, saving New York City over
$522 million in 2009

Increasing revenue sharing for NYC, rejecting the executive’s $164 million cut and providing
a total of $328 million in assistance for the city’s upcoming fiscal year

Increasing the Wicks Law threshold from $50,000 to $3 million, which will reduce the city’s
long-term capital construction costs by more than $200 million

Providing $31 million for New York City Waterfront Parks Funding for improvements
at Governor’s Island and Hudson River Park